In recent months, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has pushed for closer ties between north and south. But a complete rapprochement may be on hold. A high-level U.S. diplomat recently said that only the North’s complete denuclearization could bring about such a result. So far, that has not happened. Moreover, North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un appears to be in …

What can sick contractors from Iraq learn about the fight for injury compensation from Navy veterans in Vietnam? Blue Water Navy Veterans is a group of Navy veterans who served on offshore ships during the Vietnam War era. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie says there is insufficient evidence linking the toxic defoliant Agent Orange with the claimant’s serious illnesses. To …

In September 2017 the Caribbean and parts of the U.S. mainland were hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Puerto Rico was hit particularly hard, resulting in a near total loss of water, electricity, telecommunications, and transportation systems. At the time of the hurricanes, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico had approximately 3.3 million people. Every single person was affected by the …

Soon after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial troop pull-out, the number of Russian visitors to the war-torn country reached an all-time high. These two items are probably related. According to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), 17,000 Russians went from Russia to Syria in the first half of 2018. That is far more than any other six-month period …

Federal prosecutors recently announced that they would try former Blackwater contractor Nick Slatten for a third time. They allege he was the instigator in a disastrous incident in Iraq that killed 14 civilians and injured 17 others. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered jury selection to begin October 29. Prosecutors plan to streamline this third trial. They predict it should …

Many people assume that the life of a military contractor is a lot like Michael Bay’s Benghazi film 13 Hours. That film probably had more action sequences in two hours than most contractors see in an entire tour. But nevertheless, most contractors do serve in hot spots like Libya. However, other contractors serve in environments nothing at all like Benghazi. …

An Afghanistan contractor is heading home early after video surfaced of him wearing a Kekistan flag patch on his flight helmet. The unidentified MAG Aerospace contractor was training UH-60 helicopter crews and pilots in Kandahar. The camera clearly showed a Kekistan flag on the left side of his helmet. Many white nationalist groups have embraced this emblem, which is a …

The House of Representatives recently approved the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act on a vote of 377 to 20. The measure would ban burn pits in Afghanistan and elsewhere, while also earmarking $5 million for further study. Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) was one of the bill’s primary co-sponsors. He introduced the legislation in 2017. These pits burned …

Three Russian journalists were recently murdered in the Central African Republic, apparently because they asked too many questions about Russian mercenaries in that county. If the Russians are there, will contractors show up soon, as they did in Syria? Vladimir Putin opponent Mikhail Khodorkovsky bankrolled Alexander Rastorguyev, Kirill Radchenko and Orkhan Dzhemal as they inquired about Russian military activity in …

In 2019, private military contractors in places like Cuba will receive higher Basic Allowance for Housing payments than their counterparts in the U.S. military. The extension is expected to cost some $1 billion over the next five years. The White House is not happy about the added expense, but it is doubtful that President Donald Trump will veto the entire …

By land and by sea, the Russians are coming to this war-torn country. Just offshore, the Kremlin recently deployed a huge flotilla of warships. Meanwhile, the Russian army declared that it would “liquidate” the rebels remaining in the stronghold of Idlib. There are already 10 surface warships and two submarines off the coast, and more vessels may be on the …

In response to growing evidence of serious harm, the Defense Inspector General said it will look into the legality of burn pits in Iraq, as well as contractor oversight in this area. For years, many advocates have called for increased oversight and investigation in this area. They charge that burn pits are illegal, and that the contractors who maintain them …